Johann Lipphardt

Born in 1901 in Duisburg, Germany; German. In 1919-1921 he worked as an assistant in the Giebhardt/König mine in Nordhausen. In 1921-1925 he studied at the university, specializing in mining engineering. In 1925-1927 he worked for Haniel & Lueg, Düsseldorf, in 1927-1928 - for Rheinpreussen, Duisburg. In 1928 he quit due to political activities: illegally organizing elections among workers at the mine. In 1929 he signed a 5-year employment contract to work in the USSR. In 1930 he moved with his family to Kharkov, Ukrainian SSR, where until 1934 he worked as chief engineer, head of mining operations in the Kharkov mines. In October 1933, his wife and children returned to Germany. In October 1934, he entered the Moscow Mining Academy, moved to Moscow, engaged in scientific activities, and received a doctorate. In 1935, he was forced to apply for Soviet citizenship. In 1938, he divorced. In 1939, he married Moscow State University student Zoya Zhuravleva. In 1941, a daughter was born. In May 1942, he was arrested by the NKVD in Artemovsk (Donbass) on charges of sabotage and hostility. He was deported to the Norilsk labor camp. In 1948, he presumably died in the camp under unclear circumstances. He was rehabilitated in 1956.

The biographical information is based on the script of the documentary film by German directors Seitz K. and Belde M.